UHM ADN->BSN program cancelled

The final admission or the RN to BS program in Nursing will be Spring 2010. After Spring 2010, the School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene will not be accepting admissions for the RN to BS in Nursing program; however we will be exploring alternative options for RNs who are seeking higher degrees in the future. Please check our website often for updates. If you have questions about the RN to BS program, please contact the Office of Student Services at (808) 956-8939

On a side note... this RN to BS doesn't actually make any more nurses, and really doesn't further the career of a nurse.

Woah... can of worms?

I'd rather see a RN -> MS option.

true it doesn't create more nurses. but it's not like we need more nurses atm anyways.

a BSN does open up more career options though.

even if one doesn't plan on changing jobs after receiving their BSN, more education is never a bad thing. my classmate is a ADN->BSN student and her main motivation for entering the program is simply a desire for more education. she commented on the different mindsets at different hospitals:

working at kuakini she noticed many of the ADN's are satisfied with their level of education and have no desire to advance. in contrast, after talking to the staff at QMC during our clinicals she was surprised at how many RN's are pursuing further education for the sole purprose of expanding their knowledge and beocming a better nurse. after being so used to constant remarks like "why are you getting your BSN? what's the point?" she was pleasantly surprised to find similarly motivated RN's at QMC.

Last edit by mcubed45 on May 6, '09

May 7, '09

Queens -> Going for Magnet status at the time of your clinicals.

There was motivation there... motivation from the hospital. I guarantee you that, minus the hospital driven motivation... the nurses would be no different at Queens than Kuakini.

There is no incentive for BSN at my hospital. So... plenty of us nurses, myself included, believe that ASN is just fine. What does BSN get me? Management? Case Manager? Infection control? Diabetes education? What? I don't have any desire at this time for ANY of those positions.

I love my position. So what's the point?

More education? Really... I don't have to pay money to get "education". The world is your oyster for nursing ed... and its all free.

Now what if my hospital offers $1 extra per hour for BSN... hmmm... that's 2 grand a year... maybe then its worth it.

But even then... what's my motivation... money. Does that make you all warm and fuzzy inside? =)

>>Re: UHM ADN->BSN program cancelledQueens -> Going for Magnet status at the time of your clinicals.

There was motivation there... motivation from the hospital. I guarantee you that, minus the hospital driven motivation... the nurses would be no different at Queens than Kuakini.<<

It does the nurses at hospitals other than Queens a vast disservice to think that, because Queens now has the Magnet designation, the nurses at the other hospitals are somehow inferior or lacking in initiative/skills/etc.
It simply is not so, not by any stretch of the imagination.
I guess technically speaking Queens was "awarded" the designation but it came with a hefty price tag. Fees for application and appraisal cost over $45K, to start, for a facility the size of Queens. So if a hospital does not have the money for the fees (and more) or chooses not to spend its funds in such a manner it is no reflection on the quality of its nurses.
The cost of going through the "Magnet Journey" continues to grow above and beyond the initial application fees. Overtime, pre-evaluation consultants, and much more add to the final tally. If there was a level playing field in the awarding of the designation I think it would mean a lot more. I'm not saying that the Magnet designation can be bought but let's face it---if a hospital does not have the substantial cash outlay necessary to embark on the "Magnet Journey" their ship is never going to leave the dock. Yes, many nurses at Queens put in a lot of effort towards attaining the Magnet designation but it would have gone nowhere without the bankroll.
Public perception being what it is, though, will lead to unfair judgment of nurses and nursing care at non-Magnet hospitals. That's just wrong.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association came out with a position paper regarding Magnet status that voices some interesting opinions:

"There was motivation there... motivation from the hospital. I guarantee you that, minus the hospital driven motivation... the nurses would be no different at Queens than Kuakini.<<

It does the nurses at hospitals other than Queens a vast disservice to think that, because Queens now has the Magnet designation, the nurses at the other hospitals are somehow inferior or lacking in initiative/skills/etc."

You misunderstood my statement.

I stated that Queens RNs = Kaukini RNs.

The only difference is that Queens obviously tried to reward/encourage their RNs to get their BSNs. Kuakini did not.

My hospital does not reward it either. I'm an ADN. I, in no way, feel inferior to other BSNs or Queens RNs for that matter.

Except for maybe their Heli-Pad... i'm jealous of that one. =)

May 8, '09

I have heard that the ADN-BSN program will be available again in a few years. UH has worked this out with KCC. The KCC counselor said that it will change because the nursing program have to give what that community is looking for which will be bsn and the state will need to provide again. Although, I believe there is an online version through UH HILO.

What is troubling me the most is the new requirements for UHM nursing starting FALL of 2010. They have changed the organic chem and general chem pre req's to DP and DS electives. However, when you speak to either counselor at KCC or UHM, the general information is that when you get up to the 4th year level you will not be able to understand coursework without Organ. Chem and you could possible fail out of the program. I felt "Brian" at UH was rather flippant about it. This brings me to two thoughts: #1. Make sure Organic chem is one of your last classes so that you can actually remember all of the material. Who wants to fail out of the progam after that long of an investment. #2 Why aren't they suggesting a switch of electives so that you can fill a summer with organ. chem and not FSHN. I guess I don't know why they changed it.

Right now I am planning that layover semester while you wait for your acceptance and it is difficult to gauge what class is gonnna be the best to take.

Just venting about changes that don't seem to be well thought out in regards to helping the students.

May 8, '09

Regardless of the details surrounding this decision, it is sad to see the opportunity removed for those who might have wanted to pursue this.

I have heard that the ADN-BSN program will be available again in a few years. UH has worked this out with KCC. The KCC counselor said that it will change because the nursing program have to give what that community is looking for which will be bsn and the state will need to provide again. Although, I believe there is an online version through UH HILO.

What is troubling me the most is the new requirements for UHM nursing starting FALL of 2010. They have changed the organic chem and general chem pre req's to DP and DS electives. However, when you speak to either counselor at KCC or UHM, the general information is that when you get up to the 4th year level you will not be able to understand coursework without Organ. Chem and you could possible fail out of the program. I felt "Brian" at UH was rather flippant about it. This brings me to two thoughts: #1. Make sure Organic chem is one of your last classes so that you can actually remember all of the material. Who wants to fail out of the progam after that long of an investment. #2 Why aren't they suggesting a switch of electives so that you can fill a summer with organ. chem and not FSHN. I guess I don't know why they changed it.

Right now I am planning that layover semester while you wait for your acceptance and it is difficult to gauge what class is gonnna be the best to take.

Just venting about changes that don't seem to be well thought out in regards to helping the students.

the previous chem 152 requirement is a VERY basic survery of organic/biochem. i can't see this being vital to coursework later in the nursing program. we only covered a very limited range of very basic organic reactions. much of the course was spent learning nomenclature for various compounds. did they specify which nursing course requires this chem backgroud?

i've taken real organic chem (chem 272) - the one required for chem/pre-med majors. chem 152 is a joke by comparison.

it's kind've interesting that our nutrition majors are required to do the ochem/biochem series but nursing majors are not.

Sep 17, '09

I talked to Wes in the Nursing Department at KCC, he informed me about this and it was my first time hearing about it. Anyway, he told me KCC is trying to make a deal with UHM. Overall its just KCC needs to ensure that 10 students can enter the program in order for it to stay open at UH... I think?